Ah, not just a dog expert but a legal expert now?

And I fail to see where THEY are getting that from too, I've not seen anybody say (or imply) that it's "just a cat" so it's okay for a dog to attack and kill it. I know my dog will do so given the chance so I take reasonable precautions to ensure he doesn't get that chance. And I don't even like cats! I have a phobia of them!

Both my back yard and side yards are inaccessible, and the only place my dog can be let out is through the front door into the front yard, which cannot be fenced. Neither can the back or side yards but as I say, they are inaccessible.

My dog is always clipped onto a 12m length of rope, the other end of which is fixed to the wall inside, before I open the door. She has plenty of space to roam around but she cannot reach the pavement.

The Moshav where I live is over-run with feral cats so when I went to open my front door to let my dogs out [before I lost Little One] they both had their ropes clipped onto their harnesses before I even unlocked the door, let alone opened it.

I had no way of knowing that there was a tiny kitten within one metre of the door, and no way of stopping two small dogs, one a six-month old puppy, from rushing out at it.

The kitten was dropped on command but was unfortunately dead - presumably from shock.

How on earth could I know that the kitten was outside the door? The only window that looks out onto the front yard is in my bedroom, the far end of my bungalow. Am I supposed to go all the way through my home to look out of the window to make sure there are no cats around and then come all the way back into the salon to open the door?

By the time it would take me to get back in here, an empty yard could be full of cats.

Does that make me an irresponsible dog owner?

Why should they have to pay to replace the fence someone elses dog chewed through though? I'm sorry, I don't care who is "supposed" to maintain the fence, if my dog destroyed a fence I would consider it my responsibility to replace or fix that fence.

Correct, posters have only spoken about "OTHERS" ie not those on this forum.

I really do not understand the difficulty in reading and comprehending some of these very simple posts. Unless it is a deliberate effort to twist the words of the posters?

Yes they are but then I cant show pictures of them not chasing one outside really.

I agree, but still, control is PARAMOUNT, especially of you have dogs with high prey drive.

So whilst the photos demonstrate self control within the house that is not always transferred to the external arena.

The key is to appreciate, embrace and control the reality.

That really goes without saying. However, in the case of the poor dog that is supposedly going nuts for a kitten, the owner seems defeatist in her approach, as its not difficult IMO to teach your dog it will not go nuts in the garden!

So are you saying if say, two of your dogs took off after a Cat, you could not stop them? What about if a fruit loop was acting silly, waving his arms about and the dogs saw it as a threat, or he ran off and the dogs saw him as "fair game?" Could you stop them? Or would you see it as "natural" and if they caught him and ripped him to bits it would be unfortunate but they were acting as they should? See where I am going?

Yes, agreed, high prey drive, proper precautions.

Well thats hardly a comparison is it. But I get what you mean.

These dogs are yes. But not the Dobermann I had which was a chained guard dog for three years, had burns, sores and scarring from fireworks that were threw at him. He also had wobblers syndrome. Came here into a home with 4 other dogs, 3 cats, and a rabbit. He never harmed ANY of them, ever, nor did he eat any children or adults who had previously "abused" him.

Excellent post

I am in no way excusing dogs killing or chasing cats, but the FACTS remain that if a cat comes into a garden with dogs it may end disastrously as it may if a cat (or indeed any other animal) is encountered in the open.

But this cat did NOT come into the dog's garden. And nor did the kitten that more recent posts mention. In the first case, the dog got out so was 'loose'. In the second case, the dog managed to dig through a fence in an attempt to get onto someone ELSE'S property.

Why do people keep going on about what the scenario would be or what the law would say if it were the cat who came into the premises where the dog was properly restrained?

Not even sure without checking that there is no responsibility on an owner to make sure their dog cannot inflict injury on someone if they did get into their garden or lean over their wall or whatever.

But certainly regards the case being discussed originally and in the case of the terrier being driven nuts by a neighbour's kitten - it was not the case that the cats in question were 'trespassing' on the dog owner's property!

So why so much discussion of it as if they were?